Proposta de protocolo para mediação de concentrações de radônio proveniente de rochas graníticas em marmorarias

Abstract

Naturally occurring radionuclides such as radon (222Rn), its decay products and other elements from the radioactive series of uranium (238U and 235U) and thorium (232Th) are an important source of human exposure to natural radioactivity. Worldwide the evaluation of radiobiological effects and risks to health from exposure of the population to natural radionuclides is a growing concern. Elements such as radon (222Rn), the thoron (220Rn), radio (226Ra), thorium (232Th) and potassium (40K) can be found in materials commonly used in construction of houses and buildings. Thus, the radioactivity study from marbles and granites is important, given that under certain conditions these materials radioactivity levels can be hazardous requiring the implementation of mitigation measures for their use. This study presents a technical protocol for the control of human exposure to natural radioactivity from granitic rocks in marble factories. The protocol was based on measurements of the 222Rn and 220Rn concentration in Brazilian granite rocks commonly nationally and exported. The 222Rn and 220Rn measurements were done using the AlphaGUARD (Saphymo GmbH) and RAD7 (Durridge Company) equipment’s, respectively. For measures the samples of granite were sealed in glass jars for 40 days in order that the 226Ra and 222Rn radionuclides entered in secular equilibrium. The measurements were performed on Applied Nuclear Physics Laboratory at the Federal Technological University of Paraná. At the same time, solid-state nuclear track detectors CR-39 were installed in a marble factory environments located in Curitiba - Paraná for the evaluation of 222Rn concentrations in workplaces. The CR-39 detectors were exposed for about 90 days and submitted to etching process. The alpha particle tracks were observed using an optical microscope. The average 222Rn concentrations of granite samples ranged from 32 Bq/m3 to 1,7 KBq/m3. The results obtained underscore the importance of this research in the data contribution to the development of national legislation that establishes limits of radioactivity values for marketing and use of granitic rocks. The results also contribute to the Brazilian granite meets the international standards that limit the acceptable radioactivity value for the import, export and transit the products such as marble and granite.